Hearthstone Discussion Topic 493 - Rise of Shadows Is Upon Us GameFAQs Contests

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Now that I've seen all the cards I can give more "accurate" reviews. I will be going in class order on the official website in the same card order presented there. Ratings are based on how competitive I think they will be within 6 weeks of release or so. Ratings are out of 5

DruidBlessing of the Ancients (1)-Even with the benefit of Twinspell 3 mana is just too much for this effect. Like this was a 1 mana effect, and you can do it with 2 mana if you combo stalladris with PotW. The meta would have to slow down tremendously for this to see any play and while I do think it'll get slower, not this slow.

Acornbearer (4)-I do like the fake name "Fluffy Squirrel Whisperer" better. In any case this is an average statted one drop with a strong death rattle effect that gives you a turn 2 play if it gets removed. It works well with token synergy too. Since the premier 1 of the game (Firefly) and a cheap 1/3 (diremole). I suspect classes will look more to their class (and be forced into crafting an epic in crystalweaver... which will be especially good in druid) to replace them.

Lucentbark (1)-I think in like a best case situation you might get this effect off once. But like if you get to a point where you can drop this on 8 and it be fine... how much more do you have to do? Like Corpse flower never really saw play, and I think rogue could feasibly get its effect off more than druid can while maintaining good tempo. For the record, I don't think heal druid is going to be a good deck and all my ratings will reflect that.

Lifeweaver (3)-2/5 for 3 mana for a control effect is pretty good. Now how consistently can a druid restore HP? Besides Zilliax most of the neutral lifesteal is really bad, and like a lot of healing cards that druid has now are really bad. I think a lot of druid cards are just somewhat inconsistent in what the return is. Like this card is much cheaper than Hagatha, but the condition is extremely restrictive and I think Shamans highroll spells are much better than Druids post rotation.

Dreamway Guardians (5)-Get a 2/4 combined stat line with a premium ability for only 2 mana in a class that wants healing synergy is a very strong card. Will probably see play in druid decks that dont even care about healing at all. Like two 1/1s for 1 mana is a really good card and I think that this for 2 mana is an upgrade that makes it just as good.

Crystalsong Portal (2)-This is a card that really wants to cash in on druids having lots of cards that generate minions without being minions. That said, they still do have to play some minions and lot of them are really strong due to synergy with other cards, which means often times they might get stuck in your hand for a turn or two. This makes this card really awkward to use imo. When the effect goes off and you get all 3 minions its a really good control card, but I think restricting your deck to get this consistently is just not good and the chance you just don't get the effect in a deck that semi tries to do this is pretty high. 3 mana discover a minion without a body is not a good card.

Crystalsong Power (5)-So I think this card is good more for the do 2 damage over the 5 healing. Obviously very good with Stalladris and the healing stuff druid has. But with spellstones rotating out druids need some sort of early spot removal and this just takes that spot.

Crystal Stag (2)-So I think this is a card that the community at large is overhyping a little bit. When you get the effect off on turn 5 in the proper matchup its a really strong play, but like say turn 7 or 8 its just "eh" and I dont think you can get this consistently on turn 5 either. Not to mention there are just matchups where this is only average on turn 5 as well.

Keeper Stalladris (5)-This will see play simply because its a decently stated 2 mana card with an extremely strong upside. Like i said before I think it really shines in token decks when combined with PotW but thigns like Crystalsong power and Wrath, cards druid will run anyway, make this really good. I think that those 3 cards alone make this worth running right now.

The Forest's Aid (3)-Like I said in my previous review of this I think this is a deceptively good card. With a lot mass removal leaving the format I think that doing this on turn 8 in a proper matchup is a decent play that might force out removal from your opponent. Obviously not amazing but will probably see play as a 1 of in a lot of token decks or teched into specialist decks.

Druid Takeaway -They are really trying to push this healing thing. But healing has like never been a really good mechanic in hearthstone as a core payoff for a deck (and traditionally healing is just not that great in general as like a main focus of a deck in any card game) Like you need to be able to capitalize somehow and I think druid is going to struggle to do this. I do think that Token druid will become a decent deck once again though.

Like I said in my previous review of this I think this is a deceptively good card. With a lot mass removal leaving the format I think that doing this on turn 8 in a proper matchup is a decent play

This was my exact thought when I saw Heroic Innkeeper. Only Mage is going to be able to run multiple good AoE cards in their deck anymore, and Heroic Innkeeper basically forces you to keep the opponent's board empty every turn past 8. I think people are really sleeping on this card, because it has the potential to be really powerful, at least until a few more AoE cards hit Standard.

Blessing of the Ancients (1)-Even with the benefit of Twinspell 3 mana is just too much for this effect. Like this was a 1 mana effect, and you can do it with 2 mana if you combo stalladris with PotW. The meta would have to slow down tremendously for this to see any play and while I do think it'll get slower, not this slow.

I think you underrate this card. Mark of the Lotus is one of the most powerful cards they've ever printed and goes into decks that aren't even token decks (like I still run it in Wild Jade Druid). Historically this has been a 2 mana effect (Power of the Wild) and pretty strong in the right deck for that cost.

At 3 mana this costs the same as Savage Roar, which isn't even that unreasonable (+1 attack and +1 health permanently instead of temp +2 attack, and +2 attack on your hero). Savage roar is the better card obviously, but there's times when you will have both, and choose to play Blessing of the Ancients first (like if you are setting up a 2 turn lethal).

I do think there's quite a bit of value in the twinspell effect too. I've played token druid before, and often it's like...ok, I'm playing against a control deck with a board clear. I can hold a few minions back for after the board clear, but do I play my board buff before the board clear that might not come, or after the board clear? With twinspell it becomes a "why not buff both before and after the boardclear?" Alternatively, if you have lots of mana, you can use Blessing of the Ancients twice as a ghetto 6 mana savage roar.

PotW comboing with Salladris is a fair point (Still 6 mana total to give your team +1/+1 twice, 4 mana on the front end but you also get a 3/4 Salladris; obviously stronger when it happens) but that's a 2 card combo where one of them is a legendary--that's maybe going to happen in 20% of games.

I do think Blessing of the Ancients only goes into token decks, so if token druid doesn't turn out to be viable, then this card goes nowhere. But the card looks reasonably priced for that deck to me.

Cats land on their feet. Toast lands peanut butter side down. A cat with toast strapped to its back will hover above the ground in a state of quantum indecision

I mean, there are some good taunts in this set, but they aren't cheap.

Exactly my point. I think they were of the perception that as long as they didn't produce any really good aggressive cards, players could feel confident they would live to see turn 6. Whether or not those cards that hit at that point will be enough, though, remains to be seen.

To be fair, they haven't printed any good aggressive cards, but aggro always finds a way.

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My reaction to Kokoro's reviews:

* Blessing of the Ancients (2) - still might be run in token druid for achieving critical mass of buff spells. You have Power of the Wild and you have Branching Paths (which only buffs ATK,) but you may want a 5th or 6th card. I can see this being a one-of.* Lifeweaver (2) - the one thing I'm not certain of here is if multiple healings at once will result in multiple cards. If so, potion vendor might be able to generate a lot of value. It's weird to see something like Pyro in druid, but if there were other heal tools like that, it could be plausible. Unlikely, but plausible. If so, it earns a 3. Otherwise, it's just a Carrion Grub.* Crystalsong Portal (4) - I think this effect will be achievable far more often than you're giving it credit for. In a token deck, especially, I can see the druid running all their minions out onto the board very quickly and then playing this for more gas. I think you're missing the boat on this one. Also, it's 2 mana, not 3.* The Forest's Aid (4) - I'm even more optimistic about this card than you are. It's big, and it's slow, but it can be the top-end value / board reload to break the camel's back.* Druid summary: Token druid was shaping up to be my day 1 deck, and I figure a lot of these cards are going to be a part of it. Heal druid looks like garbage, agreed. Druid didn't get a ton of love here, but the cards it got look like they can fit together to make one really good deck, though.

I decided to record myself talking about the neutrals just now because I wanted to fool around with OBS for basically the first time. I talked way longer than I expected to, which is why I only did the neutrals, but here's the TLDR version:

Traveling Healer - eh, maybeEVIL Cable Rat - not feeling itHench-Clan Hogsteed - I like this cardDalaran Librarian - only if silence priest is goodPotion Vendor - very likely sees play, especially in heal zooProud Defender - meh.Mana Reservoir - not feeling itSoldier of Fortune - probably bad. Not even overstatted enough for silence priest.Safeguard - great cardSunreaver Spy - great card, specifically in secret paladinArcane Servant - fillerBurly Shovelfist - not as much of a filler card as it may seemDalaran Crusader - slowEccentric Scribe - slow, but has upsideFaceless Rager - is actually pretty decent, but requires set-upFlight Master - doesn't make sense to meHench-Clan Sneak - not awful, but not playableHeroic Innkeeper - my hot take is that this probably won't work, but I might be proven wrongSpellbook Binder - is basically just a 3/2Violet Spellsword - has potential, but needs the right deckViolet Warden - weird card. I can see use, but I seriously doubt it makes a deck.Toxfin - Great card.

Spellward Jeweler - is not the disruption tool we were looking forHecklebot - is DEFINITELY not the disruption tool we were looking forExotic Mountseller - probably too slow; stick to GadgetzanArcane Watcher - is purely for silence priestMad Summoner - not a card you'd play on it's own, but comboes with some stuffSunreaver Warmage - great cardPortal Keeper - bad. 2/2's off the top aren't good enough.Recurring Villain - a lot better than people give it credit for, in a meta where you can afford to be slow and grindyTunnel Blaster - great clear cardUnderbelly Ooze - probably doesn't work as Patron 2.0, but someone might be clever.

Batterhead - could replace/supplement Mosh'ogg in wall priestUnseen Saboteur - will see play, but how much really depends on the metaBig Bad Archmage - don't sell it short, but it's still not fantasticHench-Clan Hag - good card with several usesMagic Carpet - might be run in exactly zoo.Azerite Elemental - not good, but it could workPortal Overfiend - only slightly better than keeperWhirlwind Tempest - relying on a windfury minion to stick is an exercise in frustration

Chef Nomi - great finisher, but mostly will see play with Myra's Unstable ElementJepetto Joybuzz - scary card for combo potential; I really hope it simply sucksArchmage Vargoth - fantastic cardArchivist Elysiana - great card. Hot take: it will be run in aggro decks more than control decks.Barista Lynchen - will not live up to its potential, at all.

The video, for anyone with the patience to listen to it (and my wonderful, flat voice) -- https://youtu.be/ezxQVL26edE

Hunting Party (1)-With Rexar leaving hunter could use a card to help in some matchups. Obviously a scary thing is like Direfrenzy a minion and then copy it with this. But that's like really slow and this also doesn't do anything but copy. Also worth noting that hunter gains no beasts I think are worth copying (in both its class and neutral pool). So I think this is just too slow and too conditional. Like the cards similar to this have not seen play even in classes that can support it.

Arcane Fletcher (1)-So a 3/3 for 4 is a bad stat line. You probably have to play this on 5 with a minion too in order to get the effect because it's likely it's not sticking for more than a turn. Like and then you might draw a useful card and at the cost of maybe having a bad 1 drop play. Like bad tempo in hunter to get maybe tempo a turn or two later outside of certain combos (most of which are leaving the format) is not good. If you really want like a spell (secrets for instance) just play like Masked Contender or something to instantly get it in play. I know you can play Halazi and get some pretty great late game value off of this, but like is that worth it?

Ursatron (4)-3 mana for a 3/3 is not bad. The deathrattle in this case is actually pretty good because you get a minion you can potentially play. It has some mech synergy. I think since stiched tracker is leaving this might fill that void for the mech death rattle deck.

Rapid Fire (2)-1 damage for 1 is pretty bad, but this can notably go face and is scary with the legendary as you can potentially get 6 damage for 2 mana. This is a scary card that I think might not be able to see spell damage hunter deck work right away because I do think that outside of that its too low impact, but watch out for this one down the line.

Shimmerfly (1)-I personally think that even with diremole leaving that there are enough 1 mana minions for hunter to play where they don't really need to play this. Yeah it generates a card (and I know webspinner was played) but minions are way more valuable than hunter spells.

Nine Lives (5)-This is largely the reason to play deathrattle hunter post rotation. This card is nuts. Like you probably only run maybe 4 or 5 DR minions with strong effects. Like imagine getting a 7/7 on the field for free (which you can combo with zilliax) and the card in your hand. Or spiderbombing a minion, or activating the new mech legendary. Like there's a neutral that has a deathrattle to deal 3 to all minions you can possibly trigger in a control hunter? Hakkar Hunter? Tons of possibilities.

Marked Shot (2)-So 4 for 4 is pretty bad, it lines up poorly to cards like Shadow Bolt that only saw a little play even in an environment where Odd Rogue was dominant. I think this is the flanking strike replacement obviously flanking strike is one of the most bonkers cards we've ever seen but with wingblast still in the game I don't think this sees much play.

Vereesa Windrunner (2)-Obviously the stats are bad. But the weapon has a lot of potential to do something if it doesnt get oozed. I dont think the deck it fits in is quite there yet but something like a year from now (or even a few months) can be a force to be reckoned with. Like it might have to wait until Zuljin is gone so hunter can get some more spells that are really worth playing in this deck type. I do think the deck will be played though as like a low tier deck though and this will be a centerpiece.

Unleash the Beast (4)-Like I said before a 6 mana 5/5 with rush is not that far off of what you'd play normally. I think its a beast (I mean it says Wyvern which are like dragons? So ummm...) but with zuljin in the pool you can potentially get two 5/5 rushes AND another one in your hand. That's some value and a potential late game swing that can help you end the game.

Oblivitron (5)-Before ninelives was released I only though this card had potential. Now I think it's a powerhouse with tons of synergy in its deck. Yeah the stats suck but like the potential payoff is insane.

Hunter Takeaways-Pure spell based hunter is dead and the spell damage type hunter is going to take a bit to get established-Mech Deathrattle hunter will be the classes dominant deck in terms of power (maybe not playrate due to cost)-Traditional Midrange hunter will start to see more play with a lot of power cards that made the current version super powerful leaving the format.